Tobacco control policy in Indonesia

[No Abstract Available

Direct MN Test on Peripheral Blood to Detect Chromosomal Breakage: Application in Smokers

The purpose was to assess chromosomal damage in blood mononuclear cells of smokers. Smoker’s peripheral blood samples were screened for micronuclei. Samples from smokers who had an illness were excluded. From each sample, 500 swelled mononuclear leucocytes were screened using a light microscope, with 400x magnification. Frequency distribution of subjects having 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 micronuclei (MN) according to age and condition were tabulated. From the 102 samples, 5 were excluded, and only 97 were analyzed. There was an increase in MN count in 12.8%, 12.9%, 33.3%, and 25% of normal smokers living in unpolluted area, hypertensive smokers living in unpolluted area, normal smokers living in polluted area, and hypertensive smokers living in polluted area, respectively. Therefore, there was a tendency of increasing MN count in smokers in the productive age group, hypertensive people, and people living in polluted area.&nbsp

Genipin Crosslinked Blended Collagen-Chondroitin: A Promising Biomaterial Scaffold Candidate for Cartilage Reconstruction

Tissue engineering offers a solution to the shortage of materials for cartilage reconstruction surgery by providing various potential biomaterial scaffolds. Tissue engineering utilizes biological or synthetic biomaterials as a scaffold for the host cells to repopulate and regenerate the tissue. The natural biomaterials such collagen and chondroitin imitates native cartilage matrix composition. Genipin as one of natural crosslinkers was added to improve the matrix biomechanical properties. This study was done to investigate biocomposition of blended collagen type 1, collagen type 2, chondroitin sulphate (Col1-Col2-CS) and genipin for its cytotoxicity using human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs), surface morphology, and biochemical composition. Genipin-crosslinked collagen-chondroitin biocomposite showed a homogeneous shape while uncrosslinked biocomposite had rough surface and fibrillar folds size. Spectroscopy demonstrated both biocomposites had similar peak resemble to no alternation of the biocomposition by crosslinking. Both types of biocomposites were biocompatible and had no toxic effects, as compared to the cell colony only (p value = 0.26). The conclusion are blended composite of collagen chondroitin crosslinked with genipin had generated a fine microstructure scaffold with smaller pore size, had similar biomolecular component spectrum absorption, and no exhibition of residual toxicity

Secretion of Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase, an Immunomodulatory Substance, by Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell

Lipoaspirate, a wasted by product from liposuction procedure recently has been shown to contain abundant adipose-derived-mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been studied in many research areas to regenerate many cell lineages. In addition, MSCs have immunomodulatory effect. This capability has been utilized in several clinical studies in hematopoetic stem cell and organ transplantation as a strategy to reduce the risk of Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD). It has been reported that the ‘stimulated’ MSC is able to secrete substances to suppress tissue rejection. One of the substances was known to be indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO).  A previous study has characterized the secretion of IDO by bone marrow-derived MSCs stimulated by an inflammatory mediator interferon gamma (IFN-γ). IDO has been detected using Western blot analysis and by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) assay. The aim of this study was to detect the presence of IDO in AD-MSCs culture with and without INFγ stimulation. Our study showed that AD-MSC stimulated with IFN-γ significantly secreted high level of IDO as detected by Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA). Despite its property as a proinflammatory mediator, IFN-γ has shown to be able to induce IDO secretion in MSC culture which suggests the immuno modulatory effect of MSC. This study clearly demonstrates the potential application of adipose-derived MSC in the immunomodulatory strategy for allogenic transplantation. Keyword : mesenchymal stem cell, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, IFN-

A simplified interventional mapping system (SIMS) for the selection of combinations of targeted treatments in non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading cause of death worldwide. Targeted monotherapies produce high regression rates, albeit for limited patient subgroups, who inevitably succumb. We present a novel strategy for identifying customized combinations of triplets of targeted agents, utilizing a simplified interventional mapping system (SIMS) that merges knowledge about existent drugs and their impact on the hallmarks of cancer. Based on interrogation of matched lung tumor and normal tissue using targeted genomic sequencing, copy number variation, transcriptomics, and miRNA expression, the activation status of 24 interventional nodes was elucidated. An algorithm was developed to create a scoring system that enables ranking of the activated interventional nodes for each patient. Based on the trends of co-activation at interventional points, combinations of drug triplets were defined in order to overcome resistance. This methodology will inform a prospective trial to be conducted by the WIN consortium, aiming to significantly impact survival in metastatic NSCLC and other malignancies

H5N1 Influenza: is it still a threat?

[No Abstract Available

Benefit of trehalose preincubation prior to cryopreservation

[no abstract available

Genetic factors associated with susceptibility to obesity

[no abstract available

The micronucleus test: A method used in mutagenicity testing

[no abstract available